One of the most enjoyable film experiences in a while.

Rating: 9/10 (9 December 2013)

I went into this film expecting a big, stupid monster vs mecha movie. I had no desire to see it as the trailers had failed to impress me. The very first scene however, took my breathe away. It had been so long since a film totally immersed me in its world. I felt a chill down my spine as the jeager and kaijus first took screen. The CGI is outstanding and undoubtedly deserves the Oscar for it.
The action? My God, the action. Transformers, take notes. If you want to make a tense, exciting battle scene, actually show what's going on and make the enemy actually dangerous. These Kaiju meant business so every skirmish was a heart pounding experience for me. The fact that the CGI was so convincing only enhanced this.
Let me get this out of the way. I do not think this film is as stupid or badly acted as many other people do. In fact, I quite liked the leads, especially Mako. I felt this film did a good job developing their characters and building their friendship. The story is of course not spectacular. I'm not saying the acting is stellar either, but it's by no means bad. But this movie has heart. It has heart in its characters, it has heart in its theme about teamwork, and it has heart in its battles. There are few films I can give such praise to.